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This Prestigious Sumo Competition

Location: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Dates: October 15th through 19th

Exploring Sumo Wrestling

Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, blending custom, discipline and ancient spiritual practices with origins more than 1,000 years.

This combat sport involves two competitors – known as rikishi – battling within a circular arena – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.

Traditional ceremonies take place both preceding and following every match, emphasizing the traditional nature in sumo.

Customarily before a match, a hole is made in the center of the ring and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.

This opening gets sealed, containing within divine presence. The rikishi then perform a ritual stamp with hand clapping to drive off negative energies.

Professional sumo is governed a strict hierarchy, with competitors involved commit completely to the sport – living and training in group settings.

Why London?

The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held outside of Japan for just the second time, as the tournament occurring in London beginning October 15th until Sunday, 19 October.

The British capital with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion a tournament was staged beyond Japan in the sport's history.

Explaining the reasoning for the international competition, sumo leadership expressed he wanted to "convey to the people of London sumo's attraction – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

The sport has seen substantial growth in international interest among international fans in recent years, and a rare international tournament could further boost the appeal of Japanese culture abroad.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The bout concludes when a rikishi gets pushed of the dohyo or makes contact with anything other than their foot soles.

Matches might end almost instantly or continue over two minutes.

There exist two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove their opponents from the arena through strength, whereas grapplers choose to grip the other rikishi employing judo-like throws.

High-ranking rikishi frequently excel in multiple combat styles and can adapt to their opponents.

There are 82 winning techniques, including dramatic throws to clever side-steps. The variety of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results may happen during any match.

Size categories are not used within sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings decides opponents instead of body measurements.

Although female athletes do compete in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions including major venues.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Sumo wrestlers live and train in communal facilities called heya, under a stable master.

Everyday life of a rikishi centers completely on sumo. They rise early for intense practice, then consuming a substantial lunch of chankonabe – a high-protein dish designed for weight gain – with rest periods.

Typical rikishi eats approximately six to 10 bowls per meal – approximately 10,000 calories – although legendary stories of massive eating exist in sumo history.

Wrestlers intentionally gain weight for competitive advantage during matches. Although large, they demonstrate surprising agility, quick movements with strong bursts.

Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence are regulated by their stable and the Sumo Association – creating a unique lifestyle in professional sports.

Competitive standing determines earnings, living arrangements and even personal assistants.

Junior less established wrestlers perform duties around the heya, whereas senior competitors receive special privileges.

Sumo rankings get determined through performance in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records advance, while those losing drop down the rankings.

Before each tournament, a new banzuke gets published – a ceremonial list showing everyone's status within the sport.

At the summit exists the rank of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. These champions represent the spirit of sumo – transcending winning.

Sumo Wrestlers Demographics

There are approximately several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, with most being Japanese.

Foreign wrestlers have been involved prominently over years, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance currently.

Top champions include international representatives, with competitors from various nations achieving high ranks.

Recently, foreign prospects have journeyed to Japan seeking wrestling careers.